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It’s not often we get surprises at the museum, but last week we had a very nice one: Stephen A Smith and Julia Szucs, the directors of Vanishing Point (Katinngat) came by to visit. You may remember that the film played as part of the Planet in Focus festival here in Toronto last week, but what you may not know is that our staff took a “field trip” together to see it, since we were one of the co-presenters.

Stephen A. Smith and Julia Szucs, directors of Vanishing Point (Katinngat) stopped by to see us this afternoon!

The film was beautifully shot and an interesting take on the connections between Inuit living in Canada and in Greenland. The official synopsis is:

Two Inuit communities in the circumpolar Arctic, linked by lineage to a legendary shaman, navigate through the greatest social and environmental challenges in their history.

Seemingly pristine and untouched, the Arctic is profoundly impacted by globalization. Vanishing Point brings to light the interconnectedness of isolated Arctic society with the rest of humanity through the eyes of an Inuit elder, Navarana K’avigak. And as the world melts beneath their feet, the last great hunting culture confronts an uncertain future.

Vanishing Point (Katinngat) is scheduled for a number of screenings (like in Banff October 27) and you can see their schedule on their website or Facebook. Want it to come where you live? Let them (and local film festival organizers) know!

On last night’s episode of the Colbert Report, host Stephen Colbert‘s opening segment revolved around the Arctic (beginning around the 4:23 mark – unfortunately, the video I’ve linked only works in Canada but if you’re in the US you can watch it here). In discussing the recent story about Australian businessman Paul McDonald being fined for breaking the law in Nunavut, Colbert says (around the 5:10 mark):

Did you know the Eskimos now have twenty-five different words for “douchebag”?

There’s something about this that needs clearing up and it’s tied up with popular perception of Inuit.

Colbert is using the word “Eskimo” to describe Aboriginal residents of Nunavut. As an American, I know that many of my countrymen still use that word but here in Canada (and specifically in Nunavut) people use the word Inuit. Two weeks ago, I explained some of the issues around using the word Inuit but to recap: Inuit simply means “the people” in Inuktitut, one dialect of Inuit language. This is the word Inuit used to describe themselves, not “Eskimo.”

Linguists argue where the word “Eskimo” came from, but the most popular back story is that it was derived from a word certain First Nations peoples used to refer to Inuit, which meant “raw flesh eater” and so had negative connotations. Whether this is true or it actually meant something else, the point is it’s not the word Inuit use to describe themselves and is considered derogatory (at best) by many.

The distinction is even made later in the episode when Colbert cites Greenland’s Vice-Premier Jens B. Frederiksen as saying (in relation to China around the 6:30 mark):

We are aware that is because we now have something to offer, not because they’ve suddenly realized that Inuit are nice people.

Even though Colbert did a nice job saying umiaq, that’s missing the point a bit – it’s important (even when making jokes) to respect naming rights. And for the record, as far as I’m aware there’s only one word modern Inuit use for “douchebag” – and it’s the same as in English (which is a language many Inuit today speak).

So Stephen Colbert, we have no choice but to make our own “On Notice” Board and put you on it with the Biebs.

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